Disclaimer: Don't own SGA.

A/N: This is it. :)

Epilogue - Sparring

Her smile nearly disarmed him. He gripped his stick tighter and raised an eyebrow. It was all too easy to remember a time when he thought he would never see that smile again.

She stood calmly, her own sticks held loosely in her hands where they dangled at her sides. He let his gaze rake over her, looking for any sign of weakness. If he saw any indication that she wasn't ready, he would shut this down before it began.

She looked healthy and vital again. Her body was again toned, her weight normal. He let his eyes settle on the long, deep scar he could just make out on her calf. It was smooth and looked completely healed. The scar from the surgery on her stomach made an angry slash across her midriff but he knew that too had long-since stopped bothering her. His traveling gaze continued, lingering for a few moments on the burn scar on her arm and the scars on her shoulder before he again met her smiling face.

"Well?" She asked, her full smile melting into an impish grin. "Do you need to see my back, too?"

He smiled then and shook his head. He saw the scars on her back every day. He saw all the scars every day. "Just making sure." He said simply before raising his stick and grasping it with both hands.

She lifted hers in answer. Her mouth twitched and her eyebrows raised in an expectant expression. "If you go easy on me..." She let her words trail, the implied threat more than enough to get her message across.

Ronon's head shook once, a simple twitch before he lunged.

He moved like a lion, all of his energy moving forward explosively, his stick swinging over his head in one great arc.

Her sticks clashed against his as she spun away, her movements as smooth as any dancer's. He was startled at her speed and grace for only a moment before he lunged again. It was possible she was in even better shape than before. She had once lamented the fact that she would be a little stiffer now, a little less fluid but as she twirled around him, her sticks crashing down on his as if their moves were choreographed, he saw none of that.

She danced around the mat and his heart soared. He didn't think he would win this one. He was unfocused, so utterly proud of her. That she had made it this far was a miracle. He remembered the night in the cave when he had been so overwhelmed by her injuries and weakness. He could never have imagined this day then.

Teyla grinned at him as one of her sticks connected with his shoulder and he knew his own smile was gentle with emotion. He didn't feel the sting but her quiet chuckle sent a shock wave through him. "Where are your thoughts?" She asked as they squared off again.

He shrugged and she came in low this time, his stick stopped hers just before they could pop against his knees. He fought to bring his thoughts to the present. They had both waited so long for this moment, for both of them to be healthy and strong. The very brief, sorrowful little fight they had after Melena's death anniversary didn't count in his mind, this was their first time to really face off in longer than he could remember.

Her sticks crashed down against his again and again as she danced around him. He launched himself at her, hoping to overtake her speed and agility with his strength.

She laughed again and moved out of the way. Her sticks found the backs of his knees and he felt his legs buckle. She moved like lightening as she twirled around him, the sticks connecting square in the center of his chest.

He felt his back hit the mat and his stick clattered to the wooden floor and hit the wall. She leaned over him, grinning. "Well?" She said again.

"You didn't grab me by the throat." He said, remembering the very first time they ever sparred.

"I cannot reach." She teased, holding out a hand to help him up.

He grasped it and rocked forward. She was rooted to her spot as he stood and his body was pressed against hers. He lifted a hand to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I am proud of you." The words sounded uncharacteristic and strange coming from his mouth but when he saw her face light up, a wide smile of pure delight stretching across, he didn't care a bit how he sounded.

"I never thought I would get to this point." She said, dropping the sticks and wrapping her arms around his waist.

He didn't know for sure if she was talking about the sparring or the happiness or their relationship but he didn't dwell on it, his answer was the same. "I had a few doubts myself."

She gave him a tight squeeze and pressed a warm kiss to the side of his neck. "Well?" She asked, once more.

He gave her a half smile and a peck on the lips before gently pushing her away and turning to pick up his stick.

He pushed at his thick dreadlocks with his free hand and took his spot on the mat. Her look was questioning but she picked up her sticks and faced him, a slow smile playing across her features. He thought she had never been more beautiful, not in his dreams or in reality, as she was in that moment. It took his breath away to see her standing across from him, healthy and happy, her eyes full of trust and love for him.

He remembered hunting for her for all those months, wishing for this moment. Wishing for her to be back on Atlantis and real and, in his wildest dreams, he wished she was his.

Ronon twirled his stick a couple of times. "Well," He said slowly, his mind finally realizing that the landmark moment had passed. Now things were the new version of normal. She was alright and he was alright and they were exactly where he always wanted them to be; standing at the precipice of a lifetime of togetherness. He smiled easily and the expression seemed to fit his face now. It was no longer a rare or foreign occurrence to see his face reflect his inner happiness. His eyes met hers and he saw it again, the unwavering trust and depth of emotion.

"Yes?"

Her voice was a little confused at his long pause and his grinned widened. It wasn't that moment he had been waiting for, he realized now. It wasn't the sparring he had so anticipated, it was this feeling that their long ordeal was over. It was this moment.

When he spoke again, his words were mundane in their simplicity, but he knew she would see them for what they were, an acknowledgment of how far she had come, how far they had come together.

"Best two out of three?" His eyes and voice were gentle, giving the words heightened gravitas and causing her own eyes to flash with an intoxicating mixture of understanding and love and relief.

She stepped forward and he stepped forward and they moved together in their version of a dance, each content with the knowledge that a chapter of their life together was complete and each hopeful and expectant as they looked to the chapters that had yet to be written.

Note: And that's it. Thanks to everyone who stuck with it through all the lulls in posting. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and emailed and spurred me on. Thanks for the award nominations (and votes) and favorites and alerts. I hope I gave all of you the ending you wanted. I loved writing Teyla and Ronon and, someday, after I get a few other stories in other fandoms out of my head, I will return to their story.

In the meantime, I'll read all of your fantastic stories and finally allow myself to watch some new SGA.

Thank you for the support and for coming along for the ride.

Brynna

P.S. For the last time...review!